I'm not evil anymore! Here's the last part.

Something Pink

Part 14: Tears are Fine

Sakura woke up, with a shriek that could have wakened the sleeping world. However it was not nighttime. The sun was high up and as bright as it could be, the hours being late into the day.

"What's the matter, Sakura?" Tomoyo burst into Sakura's room. "I was playing with Peony and then I heard you scream."

Gasping for breath Sakura burst into persistence. "Is he really?"

Tomoyo's eyes saddened. "You are still thinking about him. I'm sorry, Sakura."

"No! No! It can't be true!"

Sakura jumped out of her bed, throwing her covers messily on the floor. "I am going to Syaoran's office, right now."

"Sakura!"

Sakura did not heed her friend's shouts to go back in and change first. She raced to her car and went forward, thoughts and hopes rushing through her mind. She needed to know and she needed to tell him how she felt… He couldn't be gone…

Running down the corridor of the top floor, she bumped into someone. "Ah, so sorry!" She apologized hastily, holding her head.

"Why, isn't it my grandson's little wife?" The man she bumped into chuckled deeply.

"Grandfather Li!"

"Sakura, why are you here? You should go home."

"Not until I know for sure it's no dream."

"A dream?" The elderly Li shook his head despondently. "Sakura," his eyes and voice showed so much sympathy, it made Sakura weary.

Sakura ran past the man, shouting, "I must see him!"

Li looked puzzled as he stared after her. The young woman turned and entered the door that would lead to Syaoran's office.

"Do you have an appointment?" Asked the young secretary, behind her desk.

Sakura sighed. "No, but I need to speak with Syaoran Li."

The secretary's eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry, but if you don't have an appointment you can't see him. He's a busy man and if I just let anyone pass I'd be fired."

"You sound like Syaoran's first secretary," Sakura murmured. "But you look a lot younger. How long have you been working for Syaoran?"

"Get out or I'll call security."

"I'm Syaoran's wife. I need to talk to him."

"I don't recall Mr. Li saying he had a wife."

Sakura rolled her eyes and barged right into the conference room.

"Sakura?" Syaoran's drooping eyes suddenly widened.

"Miss, you can't go in there." The secretary's hand was on Sakura's shoulder.

"No, it's all right, Teresa."

The secretary blushed. "Yes, sir."

Sakura was busy looking around the conference table openly unabashed. All the white haired, old, men weren't there anymore. They were all new faces that she could not recognize. All of them were young, like Syaoran.

Syaoran got up from his seat and moved towards Sakura. "What's the matter? Can it wait?"

Sakura shook her head. "I had a dreadful dream and…" Sakura trailed off, staring back at the intent men around the table.

"Gentlemen, please excuse us. I think we can all use a break right now." Syaoran said gruffly, leading Sakura to the next room that was his office.

Syaoran closed the door in front of the curious men and stood staring at the floor for awhile. After two minutes, he sighed, "Finally they're gone."

He looked over at Sakura with an aloof smile. "So, what was it you were talking about?"

Sakura was wringing her hands nervously, as she stared up at him. "In my dream, you jumped off of the roof of Li Enterprise. Before you do anything that rash, you should think about what you're leaving behind. You would leave behind a daughter and a company that can't be supervised without you."

"Whoa, Sakura. Slow down. I haven't jumped yet."

"So you don't think about it?"

"To be honest, Sakura, I have thought about it, but something has always kept me back, you know. I'm not afraid of death, but suicide is never the best way out no matter how stressed I get these days. Besides, I got Peony and you on my mind all the time. I can't leave the both of you behind. It'll be too selfish of me."

Sakura jumped on him and hugged him tight. "It was a vision, then! It was to tell me you would jump and I would have to stop you before it happened. I'm glad I made it in time."

Syaoran laughed bitterly, pulling away from her. "I suppose you'd feel guilty."

Sakura frowned. "No… I wouldn't be able to bear never seeing you again. Syaoran, I…"

Syaoran leaned back on his desk with his arms folded across his chest. He shook his head at her, asking mutely for her to stop.

"But, Syao…"

"You're making it very hard for me, Sakura. Don't say anything to complicate things."

"Complicate things?"

"Don't you have someone else on your mind? Like a boyfriend you met at Tomoyo and Eriol's banquet?"

Sakura frowned, "Him."

"I was watching you. You didn't push him away, so whatever you have to say right now doesn't matter."

"Excuse me, but I couldn't push him away because that kiss was too brief. He moved away before I could respond."

"But you still danced with him."

"I was lost…"

"In those pretty blue eyes."

"Unsure, but now I know."

"That you probably have feelings for him, right?" Syaoran sighed, his head dropping.

Sakura sighed as well. "You know the truth, then."

"You love him?"

"Uh huh. He knows how to be gentle, unlike some people."

Syaoran straightened and furiously pulled her by the arm against him. He kissed her hard, angry, and forced, with every intention to cause pain as she was doing to him. Sakura stood proud, unscathed, and strong, staring back at Syaoran with an unwavering gaze as he parted from her. "He's not gentle," Syaoran mumbled under his breath. Then he touched her cheek with his hand and bent forward again for another kiss. This time it was long and soft. Soft enough to convince Sakura. Ever so slowly, Syaoran reluctantly moved away from her.

"I love him so much," Sakura sighed.

"I understand," he said stepping away from her and moving towards the window. He stared out of the window and ignored her existence, as if she was not standing behind him anymore. Sakura had to walk around him to face him again. To her utter incredulity, she was staring at a Syaoran who had his eyes clenched tight to conceal so much. He opened them slightly to stare back at Sakura, revealing glistening, golden eyes, ready to tear.

Sakura gathered him in her arms. "Syaoran," Sakura's eyes softened as she looked up at him, "He is you."

"The way he danced with me, same way you would dance with me. He touched me, the same way you would. And his kiss was yours. It's quite obvious. Yet, I wonder, how did you pull it off?"

"A blonde wig and colored contacts," Syaoran stated bluntly, trying to pull away again.

There was something in his voice that worried Sakura. She walked closer to him and forced him to look at her again

"I love you, Syaoran."

A tear rolled down his cheek. Not just any grown man was crying. This was Syaoran Li crying. The strong, emotionless, leader of the famous family was crying for the first time since he was a teenager.

"It's alright to cry, Syaoran. Crying is no sign of weakness. It is humane. Even the best of men cry sometime."

Sakura felt warm as she held him close. All the while, she thought in wonder about the fact that the two most serious people in her life, Yelan and Syaoran, were actually capable of crying. She saw them in a whole new light. A light that shown her and Syaoran's future.

"I love you," the man mumbled. Sakura grasped his hand and whispered ever so softly into his ear, "It took you many years before you could say that and actually mean it with a full heart."

Syaoran nodded stiffly, face slightly red. He rummaged through his pants pockets for something. Then, he took her hand and slipped the old engagement ring from his pocket onto her finger. "I have kept his," he said, "when you left this behind."

Sakura laughed and pulled him into a kiss.

Bang! The door slammed open and Eriol marched in. Sakura and Syaoran flew apart and stared at him with different expressions. Syaoran was giving the intruder a ferocious glare to show how angry he was for being interrupted, while Sakura made a startled facial expression.

"Well! What have you two been up to lately? Is that a ring on your finger, Sakura? Is it to say you are—?"

"Hii-ri-ga-sa-waaa" Syaoran spoke slowly and deliberately, implying that the man was in danger.

"Nooooo! What have I missed?" Tomoyo shouted as she entered the room.

"Mommy and Daddy are back together! Yay!" Peony danced into the room.

"I don't know whether to be angry or happy," Touya grunted.

Yukito stepped out from behind him, "Of course, happy!"

Seiji wore a serious face, "I don't know if this is appropriate." After a moment his features relaxed and he chuckled merrily.

Yelan and Fujitaka entered quietly into the room both bearing smiles on their faces for their children.

Lastly, Grandfather Li entered. Sakura gave him a look, which the elder shrugged off. "Hey, I thought the rest of the family had the right to know if anything interesting happened."

"Well, finally!" Tomoyo piped in.

"There was no doubt in my mind that it would all work out, Tomoyo," Yelan spoke solemnly.

"Yes! And look," Tomoyo seized Sakura's left hand and waved it in the air. "I haven't seen this in ages." Sakura withdrew her hand and directed a frown at her friend.

"Triumphant at last!" Tomoyo and Yelan laughed blithely.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Syaoran asked in frustration. "I do not like being kept in the dark."

"We brought you two together once before. What makes you think we wouldn't try doing it a second time?" Yelan replied.

"Mother! Tomoyo!" Syaoran shouted. Sakura threw her head back and laughed. "And to think my best friend and my mother-in-law are two sweet, quiet people, who don't interfere with other people's business…"

Tomoyo wrapped her arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Come on, Sakura. If Yelan hadn't convinced Syaoran to go to Japan, and I hadn't recruited my wonderful partner-in-life and collaborator, Eriol, how could you and Syaoran have ever crossed paths again?"

"The dance was Tomoyo's idea. I told Syaoran to go in that disguise, so that he could find out how faithful you are," Yelan added casually into the conversation.

"Tomoyo, I never want to speak to you again!" Sakura shouted. As serious as Sakura tried to be, her smile broke that proclamation.

"I think we should celebrate," Fujitaka insisted. "How about we go over to that café we just passed by. That looked like a nice place."

"Yeah, let's go!" Peony shouted with enthusiasm.

"But, first, Sakura has to change. She looks like she just got out of bed!" Touya exclaimed with a look of distaste.

Sakura scratched her head. Yeah… She forgot to change out of her pink pajamas before she left the house. The family started filing out of the office, closing the door behind them when the last one left.

Sakura glanced at Syaoran. "Let's go."

"Um… I have some unfinished business that has not been done, yet."

"Oh…" Sakura said in disappointment. "Then, we'll go on ahead. When you're done feel free to come." She put a hand on the doorknob, but Syaoran stopped her by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Syaoran?" He held her closer.

"I meant unfinished business with you, Sakura."

"Oh…" Sakura laughed, turning around in his arms.

Syaoran laughed and hushed her with a kiss. After a few seconds he stopped. Sakura noticed his eyes narrowing. To her discontent, he moved away and reached for the door. He flung it and in tumbled everyone, one on top of the other. Peony landed on top. She quickly scrambled onto her feet with Touya grunting underneath her. "Hi," she greeted, hands neatly folded behind her back.

"Hi."

Syaoran and Sakura smiled down at the child that was a result of their love. Behold, their love was as complete as it could be.

(End)

Many thanks to all my reviewers. To my most recent reviewers, I'm so touched by how much everyone loves Syaoran. You all should know I would never kill such a wonderful character for no purpose in the story.

This is where I just stop for the purpose of saving time for the next CCS fic. Later! Ja ne